FINAL FOUR CAPSULES
Connecticut (31-4) vs. Michigan State (30-6)
Tipoff: 3:07 p.m. (CBS)
Final Four appearances: Connecticut third, Michigan State seventh
Line: UConn by 4
UConn starters: G A.J. Price, 6-2, Sr. (14.7 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.8 apg, 40.3 3FG%); F Jeff Adrien, 6-7, Sr. (13.7 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 50.5 FG%); C Hasheem Thabeet, 7-3, Jr. (13.5 ppg, 10.9 rpg, 4.3 bpg, 64.9 FG%); F Stanley Robinson, 6-9, Jr. (8.2 ppg, 5.7 rpg); G Craig Austrie, 6-3, Sr. (7.3 ppg).
Michigan State starters: G Kalin Lucas, 6-0, So. (14.6 ppg, 4.6 apg, 81.4 FT%); C Goran Suton, 6-10, Sr. (10.4 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 51.6 FG%); F Raymar Morgan, 6-8, Jr. (10.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 52.5 FG%); F Delvon Roe, 6-8, Fr. (5.8 ppg, 5.0 rpg); G Travis Walton, 6-2, Sr. (5.3 ppg, 3.2 apg).
Breakdown: Don’t expect this to be a track meet. Defense is a high priority for both, though they go about it by different means. UConn likes to pack the lane and let its shot blockers guard the rim, while the Spartans prefer to play man-for-man in halfcourt sets.
For answers, look for Lucas to try to loosen the Huskies up with some early treys. Price must create driving lanes and make crisp passes to his big men to beat MSU’s help. So far, the Huskies have managed without the 13.2 points a game they lost when Jerome Dyson went down with a midseason knee injury.
North Carolina (32-4) vs. Villanova (30-7)
Tipoff: 5:47 p.m. (CBS)
Final Four appearances: North Carolina 18th, Villanova fourth.
Line: North Carolina by 7 1/2
North Carolina starters: F Tyler Hansbrough, 6-9, Sr. (20.9 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 52.1 FG%, 85.8 FT%); G Ty Lawson, 5-11, Jr. (16.3 ppg, 6.5 apg, 54.2 FG%, 48.5 3FG%); G Wayne Ellington, 6-4, Jr. (15.6 ppg, 4.8 rpg); F Danny Green, 6-6, Sr. (13.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg); F Deon Thompson, 6-8, Jr. (10.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg).
Villanova starters: F Dante Cunningham, 6-8, Sr. (16.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 52.9 FG%); G Scottie Reynolds, 6-2, Jr. (15.2 ppg, 2.8 rpg, 3.3 apg, 81.7 FT%); F Dwayne Anderson, 6-6, Sr. (9.1 ppg, 6.0 rpg); G Reggie Redding, 6-5, Jr. (6.9 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 3.1 apg); F Shane Clark, 6-7, Sr. (5.6 ppg, 3.8 rpg).
Breakdown: The Tar Heels’ high-octane offense is at full throttle. The Wildcats don’t mind running themselves, but they’ll have to pick their spots. Villanova can’t afford misses early in the shot-clock cycle that result in fast-break chances for UNC. Both teams are in the top 20 in the nation in free-throw accuracy, so neither wants to be playing catch-up in the final five minutes.
USA TODAY